intelligent memory

this is a website and concept that i came across while looking for stuff about memory:


http://www.intelligentmemory.com/default.asp


the author and creator of this concept, dr barry gordon, of which you can check out his creditials on the website, says that there are two kinds of memory: ordinary memory and intelligent memory.

the ordinary type is the type of memory that we use to remember where we put our keys or where is the location of pizza hut or whatever. that type of memory is generally quite weak and unreliable. now the second type of memory, intelligent memory, is smart memory. intelligent memory consists of 3 parts: ideas/individual memories, connection between ideas, and automatic critical thinking. it is the kind of memory that makes links to different things. like remembering that you heard your set of keys made a noise sounding like it hit glass, and therefore it must be on the kitchen table. or your intelligent memory can also be used to solve problems, generally by previous experience. unlike the ordinary memory, this type of memory generally gets better with age, believe it or not. feel free to read more about the definitions on the website.

it can be easily noticed that our intelligent memory is used much more frequently than our ordinary memory. in addition, we often complain that our "memory" is getting worse and worse, and many of us that say so are just in our 20s. does memory loss occur so early? definitely not! common sense tells me that we are approaching our prime memory capacity. so what is the reason? i feel and agree with the website that it is because our memory is not trained. this is similar to an engineering student studying hard for a couple of years, and the parts of his brain that was used for sciences, social sciences, languages, etc. has been neglected and not been used properly. i'm sure that many of you are familiar with this idea, but intelligent memory is more broad with than this. in this day and age of instant messaging, information and media overload, our culture has conditioned our minds to operate by reflex (ie instinctual action, with minimal cognitive activity), as well as with idleness (very easy for this to happen, especially while watching tv or youtube or things like that). because of that, our minds have been absolutely dulled, causing our intelligent memories to become weak. with our ordinary memory being constantly fragile as well, this leads to a generally terrible memory.

so what are we to do about that? there are ways to train your intelligent memories. here are some tips i've found in various places, and i'm sure there are more:

* Pay attention
* Get more ideas
* Look for unusual connections
* Break out of dead-end thinking
* Question your thinking
* Slow down
* Don't multitask
* Become a more critical thinker
* Don't push too hard
* Practice applying IM in simple situations
* Organize your thoughts
* Make plans
* Try new things that you've never done, or do things in different ways.
* Practice your hobbies and engage your mind in them
* Stay away from our culture's conditioning tools! excessive TV/anime, excessive youtube, video games, unnecessary news, and the related

is your memory failing you? i think MANY of you can say yes, and there is a cure. none of us will really productively improve our ordinary memory (requires difficult exercises), but we can all improve our intelligent memory by engaging our entire mind to its full potential. if you want to try it out and tell me how that goes, that would be awesome! i think i will try to do exercise this when i'm in montreal next term.

nothing much worth writing in my mind now. lots of work to do.



a moment of silence.

appreciation for psalms

my recent appreciation for the psalms. so simple, so clear, so desperate, so direct. if i could write like the psalmist...



psalm 18:1-3.. and more!

I love you, LORD, my strength.
The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
I called to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and I have been saved from my enemies.

A good reminder here.. 25-26

To the faithful you show yourself faithful, to the blameless you show yourself blameless, the the pure you show yourself pure, but to the devious you show yourself shrewd.




psalm 57:1-3.. something to repeat in prayer over and over again.. just what we need.. have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us...

Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me, for in you I take refuge.
I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed.
I cry out to God Most High, to God, who vindicates me. He sends from heaven and saves me, rebuking those who hotly pursue me-- God sends forth his love and his faithfulness.





psalm 73:28 (NASB).. nearness is what we desire.

But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the LORD God my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.




psalm 32:3-5, for those who are thinking whether to confess or not...

When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.

Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD." And you forgave the guilt of my sin.




psalm 37:3-4.. just a beautiful promise.

Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.




psalm 26:1.. this is funny haha..

VINDICATE ME, LORD, for I have led a blameless life (picture a guy tearing off his sackcloth haha)

today at slc, there are actually people dancing.

jazz.

"Jazz is a musical art form that originated in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States around the start of the 20th century. Jazz uses improvisation, blue notes, swing, call and response, polyrhythms, and syncopation, and blends African American musical styles with Western music technique and theory." (wikipedia)

What kind of feeling that does give you? You see people jamming on the drums, the saxophone, trumpet, piano, you name it. Don't you want to dance?

that was what i saw and heard this sunday at slc on my way to study. it was so ironic it hurt. jazz band was practicing in the multipurpose room on the second floor of slc, and i was on my way up to the 3rd floor to hardcore study. it HAD to be jazz, didn't it. so much style, so much freedom and so much personality. yet what i was about to do had none of this. what was set ahead of me was a lot of struggling and stretching my mind and perseverance. currently my assignment is at 5/12, so i have 7 assignments left to do. i have 5 exams in 5 days and i'm absoltely behind.

the feeling of jazz music in the air almost made me laugh out loud.